Following their 2-0 win in the first leg, Inter sealed their place in the final with a narrow 1-0 victory in the second leg. Lautaro Martinez scored the decisive goal in the 74th minute.
The Nerazzurri comfortably controlled the game and secured their first Champions League final appearance since their 2009-10 triumph. They will face either Manchester City or reigning champions Real Madrid in the final in Istanbul on June 10.
In the first leg, Simeone Inzaghi's men took a commanding 2-0 lead within the first 11 minutes. They continued their aggressive approach in the second leg, with Edin Dzeko's powerful volley saved by Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan in the fourth minute. However, the linesman's flag was raised for offside in the buildup. Milan responded well, with Theo Hernandez attempting an audacious long-range shot that narrowly missed the target.
Both goalkeepers made crucial saves, as Onana denied Brahim Diaz's side-footed effort and Maignan stopped a close-range shot from Nicolo Barella with a strong left hand. Inter focused on their defensive solidity, capitalizing on loose balls and launching counter-attacks. Milan enjoyed more possession in the first half but struggled to break down Inter's resilient defense and involve their key player, Rafael Leao.
However, Leao nearly made an impact when he burst past Matteo Darmian into the penalty area and sent a low-driven shot just wide of the far post. Inter also had their chances, with Hakan Calhanoglu's dangerous free kick flicked on by Martinez and brilliantly saved by Maignan. Fikayo Tomori cleared the ball away to prevent further danger.
Just before halftime, Inter suffered an injury setback as Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who scored in the first leg, had to be substituted after rolling his ankle. Marcelo Brozovic replaced him in midfield. Francesco Acerbi's apparent stamp on Sandro Tonali inside Milan's penalty area went unpunished, despite VAR review.
While Milan struggled to create opportunities in the final third, Inter maintained control in the second half. They finally broke the deadlock in the 74th minute through a brilliant combination between Martinez and substitute Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku toyed with the Milan defenders in the penalty box before threading a pass to Martinez, who managed to slot a low-driven shot past Maignan at the near post, igniting jubilant celebrations among the Inter supporters. Martinez, a World Cup winner with Argentina, came close to scoring again minutes later, but Maignan saved his attempted lob with a backward movement.
Milan's failure to score in four consecutive matches against their arch-rivals marked a historic low for the club. Their attacking struggles couldn't trouble Inter's resolute defense.
Inzaghi's side has four more domestic fixtures to prepare for before shifting their focus to the Champions League final. This includes a Serie A away game against champions Napoli on Sunday and the Coppa Italia final against Fiorentina next Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Milan will strive to keep their top-four aspirations alive when they host already-relegated Sampdoria at San Siro in their next league match on Saturday.
